Wellington Webb: The Man, the Mayor, and the Making of Modern Denver

by Wellington Webb, Ken Salazar (Foreword), Cindy Browsky (Collaborator)

Wellington Webb shares his inspirational story as Denver's first African American mayor how he beat the odds of illness, a dysfunctional family, and personal tragedy to win an underdog bid for mayor in 1991 and go on to make monumental improvements to the Mile High City.

Genres: Nonfiction

408 pages, Hardcover

First published January 30, 2007

About the author

Wellington Webb was Denver’s first African American mayor and is a nationally recognized political figure. “I am the most unlikely person to have been elected mayor," said Webb, who described himself as a former sickly child with asthma who faced family problems and personal tragedy. In 1991 he beat the odds of an underdog candidacy to win the mayoral race. During the campaign he walked the entire city, meeting voters and sleeping in the homes of residents. Among his many accomplishments during his 12 years as mayor were the opening of Denver International Airport, the transformation of the Central Platte River Valley from abandoned rail yards to a thriving community, adding the most new park and open space than any other mayor, and the redevelopment of former Stapleton International Airport and former Lowry Air Force Base.

Reviews

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to read this for class, but it was interesting because it gave me some perspective on a lot of recent Denver history that I had missed. That said, he's awfully defensive (and seems desperate to be loved) for someone who was elected mayor 3 times. Also, Mr. Webb, not everyone who disagrees with you is a racist. For real.